Polyaspartate (salt) by polymerizing aspartic acid and hydrolyzing

ABSTRACT

A method for the preparation of a desired molecular weight polysuccinimide by the catalytic polymerization of aspartic acid in the presence of a cyclic carbonate solvent. Polysuccinimide of relatively high weight average molecular weight and high purity can be produced in relatively high yields while employing a relatively low catalyst loading.

This application is a division of application Ser. No. 08/808,467, filed Mar. 3, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,756,595.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a method for the production of polysuccinimide by the catalytic polymerization of aspartic acid.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Polysuccinimides, polyaspartates and copolymers thereof are becoming increasingly useful as mineral scale inhibiting agents, nutrient absorption enhancers, additives for cosmetics and personal care products, adhesives, anti-redeposition agents for detergents, dispersants, additives for paper making, corrosion inhibitors, metal working fluids, lubricants for conveyor belts, additives for the prevention of encrustation in sugar manufacture, and tartar preventative agents in toothpaste.

Methods are known for the production of polysuccinimide by the polymerization of aspartic acid in the presence of various catalysts, such as phosphoric acid and sulfur-containing dehydrating agents and the like. However, these prior art methods rely on an inefficient process of heat transfer during polymerization, namely the heating of an unstirrable melt. Another disadvantage to these methods is the large amount of catalyst and/or dehydrating agent which is required for polymerization to occur and the subsequent removal of the excess catalyst.

Attempts to perform catalytic polymerizations as stirrable, liquid reactions have been made, but again exceedingly high amounts of catalyst were required to achieve the polymerization of desirable high molecular weight products (U.S. Pat. No. 5,484,945 to Nagatomo et al.).

There is an ongoing need therefore, for a convenient method of catalytically polymerizing aspartic acid to polysuccinimide in high yield, purity and of desired high molecular weight. The present inventive method satisfies this need and overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art methods.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An efficient solution-phase method of polysuccinimide production is disclosed. A liquid reaction mixture containing at least one cyclic carbonate solvent, at least one catalyst, and aspartic acid is initially prepared. Preferably, the ratio of aspartic acid/catalyst is greater than about 1/1 w/w.

The reaction mixture is heated to an elevated temperature which is below the boiling point of the solvent but is sufficient to effect the catalytic polymerization of the aspartic acid in solution. Thereafter, the temperature is maintained for a period until polysuccinimide is produced. Polysuccinimide of relatively high weight average molecular weight and high purity can be produced in relatively high yields when relatively low ratios of catalyst are employed.

The polysuccinimide of the inventive method can be recovered by precipitation with a triturating solvent, and hydrolyzed to polyaspartic acid if desired.

The inventive process requires only a single, stirred, reactor vessel thereby avoiding the problems of prior multi-step methods with handling and recovering the product from semi-solid melts. The inventive method provides polysuccinimide in yields of about 100% with a purity of about 99%.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Aspartic acid and at least one catalyst can be dissolved in at least one cyclic carbonate solvent and can be polymerized in solution by the application of heat to form polysuccinimide, the temperature being maintained below the boiling point of the solvent. The aspartic acid can be in any of its L-, D-, and DL-isomer forms. Relatively low catalyst loadings have shown to be useful. The term "relatively low catalyst loadings" as used herein means that the ratio of aspartic acid/total catalyst on a solids weight/weight (w/w) basis is about 1/1.

As presently practiced, the inventive method can produce polysuccinimide having a weight average molecular weight (Mw) in the range of about 3,000 to about 40,000. The molecular weight can be controlled by varying one or more of the following reaction conditions: solvent, concentration of reactants, polymerization temperature, polymerization time, reaction pressure, water removal rate, catalyst, and weight ratio of aspartic acid monomer to catalyst.

Cyclic carbonate solvents useful in the inventive method preferably have a boiling point in the range of about 150° C. to about 200° C. Cyclic carbonates presently include cyclic organic esters having the formula: ##STR1## wherein R₁, R₃ and R₄ each are hydrogen, and R₂ is hydrogen or alkyl (1 to 2 carbon atoms inclusive).

In a particularly preferred method embodiment, the cyclic carbonate solvent is unreactive with respect to aspartic acid, can solubilize the product polysuccinimide, and is commercially available at reasonable cost in sufficient amounts.

Presently preferred solvents are cyclic alkylene carbonates. Examples include ethylene carbonate, propylene carbonate, butylene carbonate, and mixtures thereof. Such cyclic carbonates are commercially sold under the trademark JEFFSOL® by Huntsman Corporation, Austin, Tex.

The reaction mixture can be formed by combining aspartic acid with catalyst in a cyclic carbonate solvent. The order of addition is not important so long as a substantially liquid reaction mixture is obtained with heating. The temperature must be sufficiently high to initiate polymerization of the aspartic acid and will vary with operating conditions. Preferably, the elevated temperature will remain below the boiling point of the chosen cyclic carbonate solvent. The elevated temperature is in the range of about 150° C. to about 200° C. Preferably the reactants remain in solution during the whole course of the polymerization reaction. Reaction times can vary in the range of about 5 minutes to about 24 hours, preferably about 30 minutes to about 12 hours.

Polysuccinimide product is obtained in relatively high yields of about 40% to about 100% and with relatively high purity of about 70% to about 100%.

The reaction pressure can be atmospheric (air or inert gas) or sub-atmospheric. The gas is preferably anhydrous nitrogen and can be passed through the reactor.

The polysuccinimide product can be recovered by precipitation through the addition of a triturating solvent which is miscible with the cyclic carbonate solvent but is non-solvating for the polysuccinimide product. Useful triturating solvents include, without being limited to, ketones, alcohols, esters, nitriles, water, and hydrocarbons. Acetone is particularly preferred. The polysuccinimide product can also be isolated by other solvent separation techniques, such as flash evaporation or distillation.

The polysuccinimides produced by the present inventive methods can be used directly or can be hydrolyzed to produce polyaspartates.

Catalysts useful for the aspartic acid polymerizations include, without being limited to, known phosphorus-containing catalysts, sulfur- and oxygen-containing dehydrating agents and mixtures thereof and catalysts disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,508,434 (Batzel et al.), incorporated herein by reference.

Examples of phosphorus-containing catalysts include phosphoric acid and polyphosphoric acid. Examples of sulfur- and oxygen-containing dehydrating agents include sulfur trioxide anhydride and sulfur trioxide precursors, complexes of sulfur trioxide with amines or amides, alkyl or aryl sulfonic acids, alkali or alkaline earth or amine salts of alkyl or aryl sulfonic acids, anhydrosulfuric acids and salts thereof, sulfurous acid, and alkali or alkaline earth or amine salts thereof.

Particularly preferred sulfur trioxide precursors include sulfur oxygen acids, organic amine salts and inorganic salts of sulfur oxygen acids, coordinations complexes of sulfur trioxide and aliphatic amines or heterocyclic amines, complexes of sulfur trioxide and water-miscible aprotic solvents and mixtures thereof.

Preferred sulfur oxygen acids are sulfuric acid, fuming sulfuric acid, polysulfuric acid, and inorganic or organic salts and mixtures thereof.

Mixtures of more than one catalyst may be used in the methods of the present invention. The use of such mixtures of catalysts may be advantageous for economic reasons and for the production of desired molecular weight polysuccinimides.

Polysuccinimide produced by the inventive method had a weight average molecular weight (Mw) in the range of about 3,000 to about 40,000, a number average molecular weight (Mn) in the range of about 1,000 to about 7,000 and a zero average molecular weight (Mz) in the range of about 8,000 to about 150,000.

Relatively low catalyst loadings were found to produce polysuccinimide of relatively high Mw. The ratio of aspartic acid/catalyst on a solids basis varied in a range of about 1/1 w/w to about 14.5/1 w/w. The specific ratio employed varied depending on the operating conditions and Mw desired as described in the Examples listed below.

The present inventive method advantageously employs a one-pot reaction. The reactants are dissolved in the cyclic carbonate solvent forming a solution which is then heated to initiate the polymerization reaction. The reaction can be carried out in a conventional heated and stirred reactor. Such reactors are relatively inexpensive, commonly available, and allow high production rates in small plant areas. Recovery of the polysuccinimide can be accomplished by employing simple precipitation or like techniques.

During the polymerization reaction, the water of condensation preferably is removed by employing a condenser. The use of reduced pressure, about -88 kPa, during the polymerization reaction allows for faster removal of water, thereby promoting faster reactions resulting in higher molecular weight products.

The use of solution polymerization in the inventive method allows a much higher degree of control in the selection of the molecular weight of the product. Since low amounts of catalyst can be used, the use of more expensive, efficient catalysts is permitted without significant cost increases. The consistency and homogeneity of the reaction product is also greatly improved. As presently practiced, the inventive method produced polysuccinimides of very low to no color. Polyaspartates derived from these polysuccinimides were also of low color.

In the practice of the inventive method, the reaction mixture can be formed by initially adding the aspartic acid to a mixture of solvent and catalyst, then heating the resulting reaction mixture.

The following Examples employ generally preferred materials to further illustrate the inventive method but are not intended to be limiting. In each of the Examples 1-40, L-aspartic acid (Nanjing Jinke, China) was employed. The formation of polysuccinimide was confirmed by Infrared Spectroscopy (IR) analysis. Unless indicated otherwise, the solid reaction product was collected by filtration, weighed, and the yield as a percentage of theoretical yield was calculated.

The molecular weight of the polysuccinimide produced was determined by base hydrolysis of the polysuccinimide with aqueous sodium hydroxide forming the sodium salt of polyaspartic acid. The number average molecular weight (Mn), weight average molecular weight (Mw), and the zero average molecular weight (Mz) of the sodium polyaspartate were determined by Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC) analysis measured with reference to polyacrylate standards. The percent aspartic monomer was determined by titration with perchloric acid in a mixed solvent of acetic acid and formic acid (reference: Amino Acids and Related Compounds. Specification/General Tests; Kyowa Hakko; 3rd Ed., Kogyo Co., Tokyo, Japan, pg. 88-89). The purity of the polysuccinimide products was determined by subtracting the monomer content from about 100%. Lack of excess crosslinking in the polymer product was determined by NMR spectroscopy.

EXAMPLES 1-4

Examples 1-4 illustrate the preparation of polysuccinimide in cyclic propylene carbonate (PC) solvent by polymerizing aspartic acid under an inert nitrogen gas atmosphere with a phosphoric acid catalyst employing a weight/weight (w/w) ratio of aspartic acid to catalyst (asp/cat) varying in a range from about 1/1 to about 14.5/1.

In each of Examples 1-4, the following general procedure was employed with the respective amounts of components shown in Table I.

First, propylene carbonate (PC) solvent (JEFFSOL® PC, Huntsman Corporation, Austin, Tex.) was placed in a stirred reactor flask of about 500 ml capacity. The reactor was equipped with a magnetic stirring bar, a thermometer, a water removal condenser, and a port for introducing anhydrous nitrogen gas.

Next, phosphoric acid catalyst (85 weight % in water) was added to the PC solvent with stirring to form an acidic solution. Aspartic acid was then added to the acidic solution with stirring to form a reaction mixture having the respective aspartic acid/catalyst weight ratios shown in Table I.

                  TABLE I     ______________________________________              PC      H.sub.3 PO.sub.4                                  Aspartic                                        Asp/Cat     Ex.      Solvent Catalyst    Acid  Ratio     No.      (Grams) (Grams)     (Grams)                                        (w/w)     ______________________________________     1        15.04   3.01        3.01  1.18     2        15.29   0.55        3     6.42     3        15      0.6         5.01  9.82     4        15.02   0.59        7.06  14.08     ______________________________________      PC = propylene carbonate

Nitrogen gas flow through the flask was begun and the temperature of the reaction mixture was elevated to about 180° C. and maintained under stirring for a polymerization period of about 2 hours. During this polymerization period, it was noted that all solids dissolved and a homogeneous solution was formed.

At the end of the polymerization period, the temperature of the reaction mixture was cooled to ambient temperature, about 25° C. The product was then triturated with acetone in an amount of about 250 ml or sufficient to cause precipitation. The precipitate was recovered by filtration and was washed with water then acetone. The solid was dried in a vacuum oven at a temperature of about 60° C. for about 1 hour.

The identity of the product was confirmed as polysuccinimide by Infrared Spectroscopy (IR) analysis. The color of the polysuccinimide product was noted. A portion of the product was hydrolyzed to sodium polyaspartate by reaction with aqueous sodium hydroxide at ambient temperature.

The sodium polyaspartate solution was then analyzed for number average molecular weight (Mn), weight average molecular weight (Mw), and zero average molecular weight (Mz) by Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC) relative to sodium polyacrylate standards. Based on the weight of the product, the percent theoretical yield was calculated, and the percent purity of the polysuccinimide was determined. The results for each of Examples 1-4 are shown in Table II.

                  TABLE II     ______________________________________     Ex.                          %      %     No.    Mn     Mw       Mz    Purity Yield                                              Color     ______________________________________     1      4042   10575    18055 98.47  88.8 light yellow     2      4585   13993    24704 98.82  83   white     3      5144   17231    30330 99.56  96.8 white     4      4536   15130    27834 98.83  99.8 light yellow     ______________________________________

As shown by the data in Table II, polysuccinimide was produced having a Mw greater than about 10,000, a purity greater than about 98%, substantially no color or low color and relatively high yields of about 80% to about 100%.

EXAMPLES 5-7

Each of Examples 5-7 illustrates the preparation of polysuccinimide in propylene carbonate (PC) solvent (JEFFSOL® PC) by polymerizing aspartic acid with phosphoric acid at a ratio of aspartic acid/catalyst varying from about 3.4/1 w/w to about 3.5/1 w/w under varying atmospheres as described in Table III.

In each of Examples 5-7, the following procedure was employed. The PC solvent was placed in a flask of about 50 ml capacity equipped with a magnetic stirring bar, a thermometer, a condenser, and a port for introducing gas or for reducing atmospheric pressure.

Phosphoric acid catalyst (85 weight % in water) was added to the PC solvent with stirring to form an acidic solution. Next, aspartic acid was added to the acidic solution with stirring to form a substantially liquid mixture having the aspartic acid/catalyst weight ratio as shown in Table III.

                  TABLE III     ______________________________________            PC       H.sub.3 PO.sub.4                             Aspartic                                     Asp/Cat     Ex.    Solvent  Catalyst                             Acid    Ratio     No.    (Grams)  (Grams) (Grams) (w/w) Atmosphere     ______________________________________     5      15.03    1.03    3.01    3.44  air     6      15.02    1.02    3.01    3.47  nitrogen     7      15.02    1.03    3.01    3.44  vacuum     ______________________________________      PC = propylene carbonate

In Example 5, the reaction mixture was open to ambient air. The temperature of the reaction mixture was increased to about 165° C. and maintained at that level with stirring for a reaction period of about 3 hours. In Example 6, the procedure of Example 5 was followed except that dry nitrogen gas was flowed over the reaction mixture. In Example 7, the procedure of Example 5 was followed except that the reaction was carried out at a reduced pressure of about -88 kPa.

In each of Examples 5-7, the solids dissolved and formed a homogeneous solution during the polymerization period. At the end of the polymerization period, each reaction mixture was cooled to ambient temperature, about 25° C. Each reaction mixture was then triturated with acetone in an amount of about 250 ml or sufficient to precipitate the product. The precipitated product was recovered by filtration and was washed with water then acetone. The solid was dried in a vacuum oven at a temperature of about 60° C. for about 1 hour.

Each of the products was confirmed as polysuccinimide by IR analysis. The results of analyses for molecular weight analysis, purity, yield and color of the products of Examples 5-7 are shown in Table IV.

                  TABLE IV     ______________________________________     Ex.                          %      %     No.    Mn     Mw       Mz    Purity Yield                                              Color     ______________________________________     5      2955   7159     12143 99.01  87   light tan     6      3250   7484     12390 98.12  83.9 light pink     7      5225   18693    36328 99.46  87.9 white     ______________________________________

The data in Table IV show that relatively high yields of polysuccinimide were obtained with a purity approaching about 100%.

The results indicate that the rate of water removal was an important factor in controlling the molecular weight and the other characteristics of the polysuccinimide product. Under atmospheric conditions as in Example 5, the water removal rate was relatively low. Under the inert gas atmosphere in Example 6, water removal proceeded at a somewhat faster rate, and resulted in a product with a weight increase of about 4.5%. Under reduced pressure as in Example 7, the water removal rate was rapid and the resulting Mw increased to more than about 2.5 times over that obtained under atmospheric conditions.

Based on the color of the products in Examples 5 and 6, reaction conditions utilizing an inert gas rather than air favored formation of a lower color product, even though the molecular weights were similar.

EXAMPLES 8-22

Examples 8-22 illustrate the preparation of polysuccinimide in propylene carbonate (PC) solvent (JEFFSOL® PC) by polymerizing aspartic acid under various pressures at aspartic acid/catalyst ratios in the range of about 1/1 w/w to about 36/1 w/w, at a polymerization temperature in the range of about 160° C. to about 190° C. and over a period in the range of about 1 to about 3.25 hours as indicated in Table V.

The following procedure was followed for each of Examples 8-22. The PC solvent was placed in a flask having a capacity of about 500 ml. The flask was equipped with a magnetic stirring bar, a thermometer, a condenser, and a port for introducing gas or for reducing atmospheric pressure.

Phosphoric acid catalyst (85 weight % in water) was added to the solvent with stirring to form an acidic solution. Aspartic acid was added to the acidic solution with stirring to form a reaction mixture having the respective aspartic acid/catalyst ratio (w/w) shown in Table V.

                  TABLE V     ______________________________________     Amount in Grams  Asp/Cat Reaction Conditions     Ex.  PC      H.sub.3 PO.sub.4 *                          Aspartic                                Ratio Temp. Time  Atmos-     No.  Solvent Catalyst                          Acid  (w/w) (° C.)                                            (Hours)                                                  phere     ______________________________________      8   45.04   3.08    10.03 3.83  190   2     air      9   15.01   10.04   10.01 1.17  180   1     nitrogen     10   15.01   1.01    3     3.49  160   1.33  nitrogen     11   15.01   1       5.01  5.89  160   1.33  nitrogen     12   15.01   1.02    3.03  3.49  165   1.5   nitrogen     13   15.02   0.63    3.02  5.64  165   2     nitrogen     14   15.01   1       7     8.24  160   1     nitrogen     15   15      1.01    10    11.65 160   2     nitrogen     16   15.04   5.02    5     1.17  180   1.5   nitrogen     17   25.08   0.31    5.05  19.17 165   2     vacuum     18   25.08   0.31    5.05  19.17 165   2     vacuum     19   25.02   0.10    3     35.29 165   2     vacuum     20   25.01   0.12    3.02  29.61 165   3     vacuum     21   25.09   0.31    5.05  19.17 165   3     vacuum     22   250.2   3.10    50.02 18.98 170   3.25  vacuum     ______________________________________      PC = propylene carbonate      *85 weight % in water

The atmosphere of the stirred reactor was ambient air (Ex. 8), inert nitrogen gas (Exs. 9-16), or pressure of about -88 kPa (Exs. 17-22) as indicated in Table V. The temperature of each reaction mixture was increased to the indicated temperature and maintained with stirring over the polymerization period.

Except for Examples 17 and 18, at the end of each respective polymerization period, the temperature of the reaction mixture was cooled to ambient room temperature, about 25° C. The reaction mixture was triturated with acetone in an amount of about 250 ml or sufficient to precipitate the product. The precipitate was recovered by filtration and was washed with water then acetone. The solid was dried in a vacuum oven at a temperature of about 60° C. for about 1 hour.

Upon cooling to room temperature, some of the reaction product precipitated and was examined separately. This precipitate and the remaining material was treated as described in the method of Example 17. The results are shown as two separate data entries (Example 17 and 18) in Table VI.

For the first fraction identified in Tables V and VI as Example 17, a portion of the reaction mixture was collected, then the product was precipitated with acetone, washed, dried, and then characterized. For the second fraction identified in Tables V and VI as Example 18, a portion of the reaction mixture of Example 17 was collected, the reaction product was precipitated with acetone, then dried, washed, further dried, and characterized. The data obtained from each of these separate fractions are shown in Table VI.

In each of Examples 8-22, all of the solid reactants dissolved and formed homogeneous solutions at reaction temperature.

In each of Examples 8-22, the reaction product was confirmed by IR analysis as being polysuccinimide. The resulting molecular weight analysis (Mn, Mw, Mz), purity, yield and color for each product obtained in Examples 8-22 are shown in Table VI.

                  TABLE VI     ______________________________________     Ex.                          %     %     No.  Mn      Mw      Mz      Purity                                        Yield Color     ______________________________________      8   2269     5905    9981   96.23 96.8  light yellow      9   1897     6035   11209   97.82 95.6  yellow     10   3753    12745   23415   97.95 94.1  white     11   2846    10114   18719   97.05 96    white     12   4390    15020   29787   98.88 93.6  white     13   5059    18064   35768   99.46 93.1  white     14   3755    12376   22150   98.79 82.1  white     15   3548    12463   23207   98.87 98    light pink     16   2674     8319   14907   98.9  88.7  yellow      17* 4307    14629   31434   98.39 51    white      18* 6564    44924   88842   76.09 40    white     19   1926     4412    7956   96.68 45.3  light yellow     20   1973     5047   13027   96.92 97.8  light yellow     21   5307    26125   64429   99.31 89.5  white     22   6053    34157   119182  98.9  91.1  light yellow     ______________________________________      *Results from two fractions during isolation.

EXAMPLES 23-27

Examples 23-27 illustrate the preparation of polysuccinimide in ethylene carbonate (EC) solvent (JEFFSOL® EC, Huntsman Corporation, Austin, Tex.) by polymerizing aspartic acid under an atmosphere of either inert gas (anhydrous nitrogen) (Exs. 23-26) or reduced pressure (about -88 kPa) (Ex. 27), at aspartic acid/catalyst ratios in the range of about 3.5/1 w/w to about 12/1 w/w, at a reaction temperature in the range of about 165° C. to about 180° C. over a time period in the range of about 1.5 to about 2 hours, as indicated in Table VII.

                  TABLE VII     ______________________________________     Amount in Grams  Asp/Cat Reaction Conditions     Ex.  EC      H.sub.3 PO.sub.4 *                          Aspartic                                Ratio Temp. Time  Atmos-     No.  Solvent Catalyst                          Acid  (w/w) (° C.)                                            (Hours)                                                  phere     ______________________________________     23   15.13   1       3.25  3.82  180   1.5   nitrogen     24   15.12   0.52    3.01  6.81  180   1.5   nitrogen     25   25.01   0.51    5     11.53 180   1.5   nitrogen     26   25.25   0.54    5     10.89 165   2     nitrogen     27   15.18   0.53    5.02  11.14 165   2     vacuum     ______________________________________      *85 weight % in water

The general procedure employed in Examples 8-22 was followed except that the specific conditions were as indicated in Table VII.

In each of the Examples 23-27 all of the solids dissolved during the reaction period forming homogeneous solutions. The reaction products were confirmed by IR as being polysuccinimide. The molecular weight analysis (Mn, Mw, Mz), purity, yield and color for the products obtained in Examples 24-27 are shown in Table VIII.

                  TABLE VIII     ______________________________________     Ex.                          %     %     No.  Mn      Mw      Mz      Purity                                        Yield Color     ______________________________________     23   1612    4722    9659    98.88 86.4  white     24   1556    4332    8508    98.79 86.4  light yellow     25   1455    3818    7240    99.15 87.8  white     26   1538    4149    8183    99.06 91    white     27   1503    4813    21138   92.29 81.6  white     ______________________________________

The data show that polysuccinimide of relatively low color and having a Mw in the range of about 3,500 to about 5,000 was produced in relatively high yields by the catalytic polymerization of aspartic acid in ethylene carbonate.

EXAMPLE 28

This example illustrates the catalytic preparation of polysuccinimide in butylene carbonate (BC) solvent (Huntsman Corporation, Austin, Tex.) having a boiling point of about 250° C.

A reactor flask of 50 ml capacity was equipped with a magnetic stirring bar and a thermometer. The reactor contents were exposed to ambient air.

To the stirred reactor were sequentially added 15.03 grams of BC solvent and 1.02 grams of phosphoric acid catalyst (85 weight % in water) providing an acidic solution. Aspartic acid in an amount of about 3.01 grams was added to the acidic solution with stirring, the aspartic acid/catalyst ratio of about 3.47/1 w/w.

The temperature of the reaction mixture was elevated to about 180° C. and maintained under stirring for a polymerization period of about 1.33 hours. During this polymerization period, all solids in the reaction mixture dissolved and formed a homogeneous solution.

The reaction mixture was then cooled to ambient temperature, about 25° C. The reaction mixture was triturated with acetone in about 250 ml to precipitate the product. The precipitate was recovered by filtration and was washed with water then acetone. The product was dried in a vacuum oven at a temperature of about 60° C. for about 1 hour.

The product was confirmed as being polysuccinimide by IR analysis. The polysuccinimide was light brown in color and of about 91.56% purity. The yield was about 84.7% of the theoretical amount. The molecular weight was relatively low, having a Mn of about 1,974 a Mw of about 5,347 and a Mz of about 9,241.

EXAMPLES 29-30

Examples 29-30 illustrate the use of a polyphosphoric acid catalyst in the preparation of polysuccinimide in propylene carbonate (PC) solvent by polymerizing aspartic acid under anhydrous nitrogen gas.

The general procedure employed in Examples 1-4 was followed except that the amount of propylene carbonate, aspartic acid, and polyphosphoric acid (Aldrich Chemical, Milwaukee, Wis.) employed were as indicated in Table IX, and that the polymerization reaction was carried out for about 1 hour.

                  TABLE IX     ______________________________________     Amount in Grams                    Polyphos-         Asp/Cat                                            Reaction     Ex.  PC        phoric Acid                              Aspartic                                      Ratio Temp     No.  Solvent   Catalyst  Acid    (w/w) (° C.)     ______________________________________     29   25.01     1.01      5.01    4.96  175     30   25.1      1.05      5.02    4.78  170     ______________________________________      PC = propylene carbonate (JEFFSOL ® PC, Huntsman Corporation, Austin,      Texas)

In Examples 29 and 30, the products were confirmed as being polysuccinimide by IR analysis with the respective molecular weight, purity, yield, and color were as shown in Table X.

                  TABLE X     ______________________________________     Ex.                         %      %     No.   Mn     Mw       Mz    Purity Yield                                             Color     ______________________________________     29    3556   11580    21597 99.05  84.2 white     30    2771   8372     17246 99.17  83.3 light yellow     ______________________________________

EXAMPLES 31-37

Examples 31-37 illustrate the use of the sulfur trioxide catalysts to prepare polysuccinimide in propylene carbonate solvent from aspartic acid under an inert gas atmosphere. The catalysts sulfur trioxide pyridine complex (98w purity) in Ex. 31, sulfur trioxide N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) complex (97% purity) in Ex. 32, ammonium bisulfate in Ex. 33, methane sulfonic acid (99% purity) in Ex. 34, and potassium pyrosulfate (K₂ S₂ O₇, 99.9% purity) in Exs. 35-37 were utilized.

The general procedure employed in Examples 1-4 was used with the conditions indicated in Table XI.

                                      TABLE XI     __________________________________________________________________________         Grams             Grams                                Asp/Cat                                     Reaction                                           Reaction     Ex. PC           Grams                           Aspartic                                Ratio                                     Temp. Time     No. Solvent              Catalyst                      Catalyst                           Acid (w/w)                                     (° C.)                                           (Hours)     __________________________________________________________________________     31  25.07              SO.sub.3 -Pyridine                      0.53 5.05 9.72 170   1              complex              (98%)     32  25.01              SO.sub.3 -DMF                      0.52 5.02 9.95 170   1              complex              (97%)     33  25.06              NH.sub.4 HSO.sub.4                      1.01 5.01 4.96 170   1     34  25.01              Methane-                      1.01 5.06 5.06 175   1              sulfonic Acid              (99%)      35*         25.1 K.sub.2 S.sub.2 O.sub.7                      0.5  5.02 10.04                                     175   2      36*         25.1 K.sub.2 S.sub.2 O.sub.7                      0.5  5.02 10.04                                     175   2     37  25.03              K.sub.2 S.sub.2 O.sub.7                      0.5  5    10   180   1     __________________________________________________________________________

In Examples 31-37, the reaction products were confirmed as polysuccinimide by IR analysis with the molecular weight, purity, yield, and color shown in Table XII.

                  TABLE XII     ______________________________________     Ex.                          %     %     No.  Mn      Mw      Mz      Purity                                        Yield Color     ______________________________________     31   3510    14008   35011   97.9  81.8  tan     32   3036     8842   18026   98.62 83.4  light tan     33   2691     8500   16843   97.12 84.2  light tan     34   1529     4676   11472   94.79 79    light yellow     35   3458     9817   21421   99.13 55    light tan     36   5287    23943   54748   97.76 34    light tan     37   3449    14692   36411   94.44 79.1  light yellow     ______________________________________      *Results from two fractions during isolation.

EXAMPLES 38-39

Examples 38-39 illustrate the use of catalytic mixtures of potassium pyrosulfate and polyphosphoric acid in the preparation of polysuccinimide from aspartic acid in either propylene carbonate (Ex. 38) or in ethylene carbonate (Ex. 39) solvent under an inert gas atmosphere. The general procedure of Examples 1-4 was followed with the conditions as shown in Table XIII.

                                      TABLE XIII     __________________________________________________________________________                           Grams                                Asp/Cat                                     Reaction                                           Reaction     Ex. Grams        Grams                           Aspartic                                Ratio                                     Temp. Time     No. Solvent              Catalyst                      Catalyst                           Acid (w/w)                                     (° C.)                                           (Hours)     __________________________________________________________________________     38  25.04              K.sub.2 S.sub.2 O.sub.7                      0.38 5.01 13.18                                     175   1.5         PC   Polyphosphoric                      0.38      13.18              Acid     39  25.01              K.sub.2 S.sub.2 O.sub.7                      0.36 5.02 13.94                                     170   1.5         EC   Polyphosphoric                      0.36      13.94              Acid     __________________________________________________________________________      PC = propylene carbonate (JEFFSOL ® PC, Huntsman Corporation, Austin,      Texas)      EC = ethylene carbonate (JEFFSOL ® EC, Huntsman Corporation, Austin,      Texas)

In Examples 38-39, the reaction product was confirmed as polysuccinimide by IR analysis. The molecular weight, purity, yield, and color are shown in Table XIV.

                  TABLE XIV     ______________________________________     Ex.                          %      %     No.    Mn     Mw       Mz    Purity Yield                                              Color     ______________________________________     38     3541   13229    32409 98.9   92.1 light tan     39     1649   5146     10216 94.65  79.5 light pink     ______________________________________

Examples 1-39 illustrate that quantitative conversion of aspartic acid monomer to polysuccinimide in solution can be done in a one-pot process by specifying reaction conditions. The polysuccinimide had a weight average molecular weight (Mw) in the range of from about 3,000 to about 50,000. The polysuccinimide product can be obtained in relatively high yields and of high purity with simple recovery techniques.

EXAMPLE 40

An experiment was performed to demonstrate that aspartic acid would not polymerize in the absence of a catalyst under reaction conditions. The procedure of Example 7 was followed, except that 5.04 g aspartic acid was suspended in 25.08 g propylene carbonate, then heated to about 165° C. for about 1 hour under vigorous agitation and a pressure of about -88 kPa.

The solid aspartic acid did not dissolve during the reaction period but the reaction mixture was treated as it was in other examples by triturating with acetone, filtering, washing, and drying. Monomeric aspartic acid was identified by IR analysis. A majority of the aspartic acid reactant was recovered (solid weight was about 4.9 g out of 5.04 g). This experiment proved that no detectable polymerization of aspartic acid had occurred in the propylene carbonate solvent in the absence of catalyst or dehydrating agent. 

We claim:
 1. A solution polymerization method for the preparation of a polyaspartate or a polyaspartic acid salt which comprises the steps of:forming a substantially liquid reaction mixture of at least one cyclic carbonate solvent, at least one catalyst, and aspartic acid; heating said reaction mixture to an elevated temperature sufficient to effect solution polymerization of said aspartic acid, said temperature being below the boiling point of said cyclic carbonate solvent; maintaining said heated reaction mixture at said reaction temperature until a polysuccinimide is formed; recovering the formed polysuccinimide; and hydrolyzing the recovered polysuccinimide to a polyaspartate or a polyaspartic acid salt. 